Court Rules for SCOPE and Friends of the Santa Clara River in a Decision that Will Protect the Santa Clara River  

In a long-awaited decision made at the end of April, the Los Angeles County Superior Court set aside the Vista Canyon Ranch approvals and ordered a new look at its affect on the Watershed.

Proposed for the rural Sand Canyon area, the 1050 unit project, including  additional commercial space and a 200 room hotel is located almost entirely in the floodplain of the Santa Clara River, Los Angeles County’s last free-flowing River. Requiring some 500,000 cubic yards of dirt to fill the floodplain in order to raise the level of the construction area to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) safety standards, it would pave over a  vital source of ground water re-charge.  The proposal also called for 7500’ linear feet of channelization of the Santa Clara River in the upper watershed area of the Santa Clara River. 

 The project was approved with disregard to the fact that this area is designated a “Significant Ecological Area” by both the City of Santa Clarita and the County of Los Angeles.

Touted as transportation oriented, it would be built around a non-existent MetroLink Station. Its developers proposed to move the existing Via Princessa Station to this new outlying location, even though that station’s currently centralized location is  servicing many commuters who would lose their easy access point if the station is moved. Questions remain as to who will pay to have this station closed and moved away from existing riders – the developer or the taxpayers?

 In his finding, Superior Court Judge Goodman ruled that the EIR could not use the full 1620 square miles of the watershed to determine that the project had no effect on the environment, but rather that it must focus on the effect of the construction in the vicinity of the project.

We are gratified that this Judge recognized the on going problem of cumulative effects to the river.  7500’ of linear banking and massive filling of the river in this area is significant, and cumulatively leads to the loss of natural river function/ The Judge also ruled that the Environmental Impact Report must summarize the reports submitted to substantiate its findings. Community groups throughout California have long raised concerns about the thousands of pages that they must read to understand the typical environmental impact report. This ruling will aid both Planning Commissions and the community members in their efforts to ensure environmentally sustainable projects in their neighborhoods.

Are You Worried About Genetically Modified Foods and Monsanto’s Control
over Our Food Supply?
Then You May Want to Join the

March Against Monsanto
This Saturday- May 25TH      

Downtown Los Angeles – Pershing Square
Gather 9AM March 11 AM

Celebrities and participants will gather together around 9 a.m. with the march starting at 11 a.m. “Several countries such as Germany, Italy, France, Egypt, Australia, Brazil & Spain have banned the growth and/or import of GE Crops and/or GE Maize”, says actress Robin Arcuri. Over 200,00 are expected to participate in this worldwide event protesting against the Monsanto Company and its genetically-modified foods, which are harmful to the environment and and may be harmful to human health.